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Melissa - posted on 08/26/2011

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i believe i had anthem when i had my son, and i was told by them that a breast pump was NOT a medical necessity so it was not covered by my insurance. I asked them how my son was supposed to eat, and they said that is why they make formula. So not all insurances believe it is a medical necessity because they make formula. Breast is believed to be best, however it is not always considered a medical necessity so you will loose the battle, however, get a referal from the doctor. More people are qualifying for WIC for various reasons too, so don't be afraid to see if there is an option to qualify for a pump from them. However, you do want to get NEW tubing for yourself, WIC will even tell you that, anyone will tell you the machine is good for anyone, the tubing is NOT. You may qualify for WIC just because your child has been in NICU not necessarly because of finances- that way it gives you extra support with lactation once out of the hospital too if there is any concerns with latching on- so check into it- may give you help with pumps too!

I had a baby in the NICU for a month. I started using the Medela hospital grade in the hospital from right after birth. I wasn't able to start trying to breastfeed until the fourth week. He was fed my milk via gavage tube. I was allowed the pump from Apria Medela hospital grade for four month for free. Kaiser covered that. I extended it for two more months until he was six months. I had bought a Medela pump in style as well. It works great. Hang in there. My son had latching issues and lots of trouble. At three months I was exclusively pumping. Then we had to supplement. Get plenty of skin to skin. It's rough but, hang in there. Breastmilk is the best thing for your baby. My son was not sick for the first whole yeah. I attribute that to breastfeeding.

Kristin, I have Anthem and we even got pre authorization for a pump when our little one was in the NICU. I wonder why your situation is different. Just a different policy maybe? I have MEA choice plus.

Medela pump in style advance if you choose to buy an expensive one, the parts work with the symhony at a hospital, ameda pumps are the only pumps you can buy that have a closed system where milk doesn't get in the pump, but still considered single users. I had nothing but problems with mine and preferred the Medela but have used both brands, both hospital grades and commercial. For a NICU baby, the hospital one is going to be best and a symphony is designed to be quieter and more friendly for frequent pumpers. Home pumps are "you get what you pay for", but the less expensive ones work for later if it won't be frequent but can burn out the motor if you do it several times a day, every day, coming from a mom of two exclusively breastmilk fed babies that works in a hospital (12 hour shifts) and has taken the breastfeeding classes for breastfeeding moms, and for healthcare nurses to well-baby (mother-baby couplet care) and pediatric nurses to special care babies.

The best breastpump is the Madela free style or higher model. I loved it and have been using it for a year. It is comfortable and fast. You will not regret buying it. It is costly but worth every penny.

No - Medela pumps are SINGLE USER PUMPS! Please do not buy a used on especially for a compromised baby who was in the NICU. Buying a new "kit" or boiling the parts will not protect you from contaminents in the insides of the pump! http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/faq... Some additional information: Washing a kit in the sink, in the dishwasher or boiling on the stove does not sterilize it. A kit that has only been cleaned via one of these methods should not be shared with another user. http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/faq...

Hospital grade pump...the ones on the market are for someone who has established breastmilk and are going back to work and pumping 3x a day. Rental pumps are for pumping 8 to 10 times more efficient to keep breastmilk for your young baby...talk with a Lactation consultant at the hospital for more information.

I have pumped for 3 of our NICU babies, and renting the hospital grade pump was the best. I usually am fulling nursing by 13 weeks with our little ones, with the earliest baby born at 27 wks. I own a medela pump in style and an ameda purely yours and liked the medela symphony I rented from the hospital the best. Good luck!

I would not buy a pump, I would rent. Personally I think the Lactina Select is the best pump you can rent - lots of people like the Symphony but I didn't get as much milk with it. The Lactina Select felt like it had more power and I was more in control - you can get a let down by using quick pumps on low suction, and then once you are flowing switch to long pumps on high suction. As much as one can love a pump, I loved that pump. I used it when my twins were first born. Once your supply is well establish and the baby is nursing directly (much more ideal) you can stop pumping, unless you have to work or have latch issues etc - then you can return the pump. A personal use pump just won't give you the ooomph you need when you are dealing with baby seperation so early on.

I would not recommend buying a pump. Get a loaner from the NICU. This will be a rental grade breast pump which is more efficient. Get support from the IBCLC in the NICU or consult with a private practice IBCLC for the best ways to maintain/increase your milk supply, how to safely store and deliver your breastmilk to the NICU and how to introduce breast to your baby. Once home, I like the Hygiea breast pumps. They are a piston style breast pump which in my opinion is more efficient. Also learn how to hand express following pumping to yield more milk

My daughter spent 3 weeks in the NICU after being born at 32 weeks. The hospital let me use theirs for free when I was in the NICU with her visiting and they told me that through the WIC program you can get a hospital grade double breast pump for free as long as the baby is in the NICU. It is considered a medical necessity for the child. Ask the hospital, they should know and if not check with WIC. You may not need such an expensive machine after the baby gets home. I didn't. I had a less expensive single one and it was fine because the baby was nursing actively.

I love the Medela Freesstyle. It's about $350.00 but some insurances cover most of the cost if your baby is in the NICU. My daughter was in the NICU for a week and I pumped as much as I could. I also was lucky to live 10 mins from the hospital so I would go back to the hospital atleast twice per day to spend time with my daughter and nurse her.

I had a NICU baby w/ my first and then my second I just needed a pump for work. We rented a Medela for our first baby. W/ our second child we bought a Medela Pump in Style and it worked every bit as well as the hospital grade or the rental. There are serious health issues w/ buying a used pump. The ones that are rentals are specially made. Breast milk carries the same health risks as blood and it CAN get inside the machine. (I saw it once in someone elses. eww!) Check w/ your NICU or LaLeche League and they should be able to help you out too.

Breastfeeding is sooooo good for your NICU baby! Hang in there, Mama!!

My son spent 6 weeks in special care, I used the Medela symphony in hospital, I hired a medala lactina once I left for about a week then a friend lent me the medala pump in style, then I bought a medela swing. The symphony was great, and often would wait to do a pump in special care so I could use it. The lactina was terrible but I think it was just the one we got because I used one with my first son and found it good then, although big, noisy and ugly. the pump in style was great - was able to double pump and it is in a backpack for easy portability, the motor was strong enough, and all the pockets, including a cold bag with shaped iceblock to transport your milk was fantastic, very handy going back and forth to hospital. In the end I bought the swing because I needed something more portable and it is very small, can wear it on a lanyard around your neck and takes 4 aa batteries or ac power. I found this excellent as I had a 2 year old to look after as well and it meant I could pump while getting breakfast or whatever for my 2 year old and also where ever I was when I needed to pump I could easily. It is only single pump and the motor is not as strong but still good and portability, ease of use won out. Good luck with it all! I hope your stay in NICU is short and bubs is doing well. It is such an emotional time, probably the most intense time of my life, but I meet some amazing people through the experience.

I had my son at 32 weeks so he was in the nicu for some time after he was born. I rented a breast pump from the hospital even though I had one. Both of the ones I used were medela. Because I had to pump so often I wanted the best of the best which was the one I got from the hospital. After he came home and I slowly switched to justed nursing and storing milk in the deep freezer for emergencies I was then able to use my other pump. But really any electric double breast pump medela is great.

If you plan on having more babies in the future, I'd encourage you to invest in a nice double electric pump. I purchased a Medela Pump in Style and I love it! Very efficient. I would skip any hand or/and single pumps, they aren't as efficient and don't seem to last long. I went through a couple of thoughs before settling on my Medela. Good luck!

I also forgot to mention u might also be able to get spare parts from the hospital. I asked my lactation consultant at my hospital and she gave me spare parts for my medula pump and I didn't even have to pay for them.

Definitely Medela! I'm from Australia and i hired mine from the chemist. They should also have them in the hospital and some you can take home. It's the electric one that does the pumping for you and you only have to pay like $50 for their basic manual pump which attaches to the electric one. I think there are cheaper options available too. Maybe try and get a 2nd hand one? :)But yes, medela is the best all round!Sorry i dont have an NICU baby either, this just popped up on the side and i couldnt resist lol good luck!

I agree with these other moms. The medela breast pump is good. I have the pump in style model. I didn't have a nicu baby but went back to work after 7 weeks so I had to pump 3 times per day everyday. I could be done in 10 minutes with the medela. It is expensive but it's a one time expense and definately worth the months I used it. I can assure you that using that many months of formula would have been more expensive!

I didnt have a nicu baby so Im not completely sure but I have the medula pump in style advanced and it works really good, I love it and I am pleased with my investment. I also used the rental pump that I got from WIC which was okay as well but I don't think it was quite as good. But WIC will loan pay for it to be rented for a yr if u decide ur going to exclusively breast feed and u don't get any formula. Breast feeding moms also get WIC food for I believe a yr as well, if u qualify for WIC.....hope that helps!

I am through Blue cross blue shield federal I have already called them and even told them I can get a prescription for one for my baby and they said they wont cover it. So sad day my insurance plan sucks

While my baby was in the NICU, I used the hospital grade medela breast pump. Which would be a great investment if you can afford it and will be pumping for a while. Not to mention if you want to have more kids in the future and think you may use a pump again.

I also used some other pump when my son got out of the hospital (I was able to stay in a hospital suite with my son for his duration and use their pump), it was a pump I rented and was no where near as nice, although it was still a respected brand.